Soil cultivator



Nov. 1, 1932.

Filed Nov. 1'7, 1930 C. A. GODDARD SOIL CULTIVATOR v to [a ///A ////A '2 Sheets-Sheet l 41mm T igdawa ATTORNEYS Nov. 1, 1932. A, GODDARD 1,886,178

SOIL CULTI-VATOR Filed Nov. 17, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 1, 1932 we srarfes canteen. eonnu rnn, or v SEATTLE, .WASHINGTON SOIL cUL'rIvAron Application filed November 17, 1930. Serial no. 496,194.

ciency is due no doubt to the fact that two motions are required when they are used to loosen the soil; one, that of making the cultivating stroke and the oth'erQ-(whi'ch is wasted eflort,) that of restoring the implelnent to position-for the next succeeding eultivating stroke. In my present device I have created an implement which works eiiectively when it is drawn to the operator and when it is pushed away from him. -Thus I instead'of losing, roughly, one-half of the applied eiiort, all the eifort is directed to the process of cultivation. Further, with my device there is no waste eiEort, such as lifting the tool to an elevation necessary to strike theiinplenient down to the ground to the depth necessary for the real cnltivatin'g operation. lvly to'ol further has'the adv-an tage of being selfqsharpening, that is, as it is passed through the: soil in reciprocating motions, the tendency is for the trailing'ed-ge to bejsliarpened by the soil in an amount equal to the dulling effect encountered by the leading'edge; therefore The principal object of my invention is to and cultivation of soil with least possible friction between-soil and tool; with the operation continuous without loss of motion, or energy required on the part of the operator and with the operator in the most easy erect position for the exercise of that energy required.

A further object is the provision of means for the cultivating and weeding of soil without moving the same from its desired posi- 7 tion.

A further object is to provide a tool of the class described, wherein all the edges, in the direction of operating travel, are cutting edges,providing least possible resistance.

A further object is the production of a cultivating tool whichnlakes' itpossible to work in places inaccessible to the more com" monly used tools; for example, underneath shrub and plant foliage and on all sides of the plant with operator in one unchanged 55 position.

A still further object is to provide tool in which the reciprocating 'inotion through the soil obviously creates a whetting action on the trailing'edge of its members, espe a0 ci-ally that "of the principal or main cutting blade. The creation of a t-o'ol for thoroughpertor-rnance of the act of cultivating and weeding at full l-engthof the handle from the operator in ail directions 'ir-oin one stand- 05 ing position, this ieature permitting abs'o lute freedom from necessity of trampin'g cultivated ground. I

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the followingfdescripti'on taken 70 in connection with the accompanying draw ings, wherein I Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my device with ahandle, inplace, 1 which has been broken away. "i5 Figure 2 an end elevation of my device. Figure 3 is atop plan 'view of my device. Figure 4 is a vertical section taken along the line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional. View so take'njalong the line 5 -5 oEEFigureQ.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken aloirgthe line 6 6 (at-Figure provide a handy tool for thorough weeding Referring to the drawings throughout which like reference character indicate like '35 oar-ts, numeral 8*de'sl'g'r'lates the main cutting blade of my device. This may, tor-nsein light soil or soil in good state of tilth, he formed with a: flat bottom and beveled edges beveling from the top down or, for. heavier il) and more-"compact soil, I rather prefer to for-Tm it --constructee1 along the lineinclieare'd in Fig-are 4, in which blade 8 has a cine/e61 lower surface. This "e'rrahles me to produce a light tool of great penetrating ability and "95 has the further advantage of providing alter;- na-tely leading and trailing edges'which; and

in se uence, enable the operator to control in hand. the form shown I have in effect T00 A cutting edges as indicated by numerals 10, 12, let, 16. Member 8 I have found will produce the most controllable penetrating and regulating quality when it has roughly the diamond shaped margin, as indicated.

Secured to each end of the diamond, and in actual practice formed of the same metal, are two vertical members 18 and20. These I prefer to form with the cutting edges 22 and 24: to the end that they will offer less re- These side members 18 and 20 have formed as an extension thereof the inwardly directed portions 26 and 28 which are-joined together as by rivet 30. It will be apparent, I believe, that any form of securing would be satisfactory at this point, for instance an encircling strap might beused or the two members braised or welded together at this point. The strap lilre members are further bent to form the handle engaging members 32 and 34-. A rivetor bolt 36 isadapted to join these members together and to furtherform a pivot connection to the handlel'l. The handle engaging members terminate in quadrantlike ends 38 and 40 These are provided with a plurality of matching holes 4-2 which are adapted to receive the through bolt 44. As a matter of convenience I JlBfGl' to use a bolt having a large head, as for instance, the wing nut form shown and to supply the removable nut also of this form so that it Will. be very easy for the operator to change the adjustment of the handle. Theadjustment would 5 normally be changed-only to suit the height of the operator if the implement were to be used only on level ground; however, when used on sloping ground, as terraces and the like, it is very desirable to have means for 40 making this adjustment quickly and easily. i Ordinarily a handle of usual rake handle len th will be found the most satisfactory.

finder certain conditions I find it desirable to slot the end of handle H so that it can slip over the rivet 36. In this way a long handle can be very quickly substituted for a short bne or vice versa, and thus make for easy adaptability toextreme close or distance operation. 7 1 v 5 Where soil is packed and hard, case of penetration may be increased by increasing the curvature lof the blade 8 and decreased for friable soil in good state of tilth.

5,5 Method'of operation sistance when passed through the ground:

bers 18 and 20 and if it is found that because" of the packing of the soil, the blade does not maintain uniform depth, it is only necessary to drop the handle end slightly as it is pulled towards the operator and raise it above normal slightly as it is pushed away. This will keep the tool at the desired depth.

The foregoing description and the accompanying drawings are believed to clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes in the invention may be madeas are fairly within the scope and spirit of the following claims:

VVha-t I claim is: I

1. A soil cultivator consisting of a horizontally disposed cutting blade having a diamond shaped contour and convex section across its minor axis; vertically disposed, double edged'cutting blades secured to the ends of: the diamond shaped blade extensions of the vertical blades diverted inwardly until they meet, at which point they are turned in the plane of the minor axis of the blade; and also twisted to form an acute angle with the horizontal; means for joining the extension together, and securing means for a handle.

2. A soil cultivator formed of a single piece of metal consisting of a horizontally disposed cutting blade having a diamond shaped contour and convex section across its minor axis; vertically disposed, double edged cutting blades secured to the ends of the diamond shaped blade; extensions of the vertical blades diverted inwardly until they meet, at which, point they are turned in the plane of the minor axis of the blade and also twisted to form an acute angle with the horizontal; means for joining the extension together; a handle receiving V formed by diverging the extensions. and securing means for a handle. I

Inwitness whereof, Ihereunto subscribe my name this 3rd day of October A. D. 1930.

CHARLES A. GODDARD.

the normal angle of the handle. If the tool is being pulled towards the operator, the 59 end of the handle should be slightly lowered. This will cause penetration desired through increased angle of cutting edges from the horizontal and at the same time provide whetting action upon the alternately trailing 5 edges of bladein sliding cont-act withsoil 

